More humiliation for Berlusconi's fallen giants

There was a time, around a generation ago, when AC Milan were far from a mighty force. Now, it would seem, the San Siro giants are among mere mortals again.

The 20-year Berlusconi era has brought Champions League glory and Italian crowns in abundance. This morning, however, Milan are entrenched in 16th place in Serie A after one win in eight matches.

Defeat by Roma was their third successive reverse, leaving them 17 points behind leaders Inter Milan and Palermo. How Milanistas might wish the fog that swirled around San Siro's upper tiers on Saturday night could descend to envelop the whole sorry season.

Milan are weighed down by an eight-point deduction for their role in Italy's match-fixing scandal, but that would still mean a runners-up slot on last season's form. There is little more than fourth place — the final guarantee of Champions League football — left to chase.

While Andrei Shevchenko may not be prolific at Chelsea, his old club are enduring famine in front of goal. Strikers Filippo Inzaghi, Alberto Gilardino and Ricardo Oliveira have scraped just one each in Milan's 11 league outings.

Oliveira, a £12 million transfer deadline night signing from Real Betis, wears Shevchenko's famed No 7 shirt to little effect. He did hit the Roma bar in the first half, but it was left to stand-in midfielder Cristian Brocchi to drive in Milan's goal in the 56th minute.

That cancelled out Francesco Totti's seventh-minute volley but the Roman talisman had the final say, heading home unmarked in the 83rd minute.

Silvio Berlusconi visited his players after the match to reassure under-fire coach Carlo Ancelotti. "Our Carletto [Ancelotti] is safe. It didn't seem as if Milan played that badly," the club president said.

For once, Berlusconi's transfer strategy is in question. Banking £30 million for Shevchenko could yet be judged good business, but incoming deals were put on hold as the club fought to reduce their points penalty and secure a Champions League place.

Milan are usually less active in the transfer market than their city rivals but can draw on greater solidarity from fans, who were impressively supportive on Saturday, and the players themselves.

Kaka, like some of his illustrious team-mates a shadow of last season's presence, said: "Berlusconi told us to stay tough, and that with will and strength we will come out of it."

In-form Palermo ran up their fifth league win in a row when they brushed aside Torino 3-0 with goals from captain Eugenio Corini and strikers David Di Michele and Amauri. The victory equalled the Sicilian side's best winning run in Serie A, in the 1961-62 season.

Tommaso Rocchi and Stefano Mauri each scored twice as Lazio beat Udinese 5-0, while Reggina, with a 1-0 win over Siena, finally cancelled out the 15-point penalty they received for their part in the match-fixing scandal.